Game 16…. (12-3) Raps vs (8 -6) Chowda.. .. On SN1 (Like Fuck Rogers.. Seriously ? Every game on the you gotta pay extra pay for it SN1 Channel ?) Tip Time: 7PM EST

[Beneperez]

But something about the vibe of this team is off.

What's off is this team has had no chance to gel. Every time someone comes back, another (or more) one goes down. We're a wounded soldier out there. It's getting to the point we are asking more of 905 guys than we ever have before in recent history who will need to step up for even single digit minutes on this road trip. It's the issue.

And about the Nurse criticism (this isn't directed at you but the RR family in general)... you can never win on this board. Fred is not 100% and Nurse is trying to ease him in. He basically has no one minus Delon to pass to on the second unit that he played with last season. CJ is gone, he's still adjusting to playing with JV etc etc. Fred plays some shit games but then what happens? Who's his back up? Lorenzo. When he's 100% he's crappier than Fred at 65%. I can only imagine Lorenzo playing closing minutes last night and then reading reactions on this board. Some would be jumping out of their leased Lakeshore condos.

So much for everyone not caring much about the regular season, huh?

[consmap]

Next game thread?

[G__Deane]

Next game thread?

Have to let the pollution end here first so it doesn't leak onto the Bulls thread lol
Good thing about this back to back is we can end the mini losing streak right away.

[inthepaint]

One thing to keep in mind is that the 2 last games were tied within two seconds and both could have gone either way. The only 2 bad games, out of 16, were vs. Pelicans and Bucks imo. Team could easily be 14-2 right now.

That said, like it was posted here by someone, we lost 7 straight fourth quarters. A lot of that is probably just taking the foot off the gas in blowouts by giving time to Zo Brown & Co. to close it out, but some of that is also late game coaching decisions.

This is the time to see what's working and what's not. Nothing wrong with running an ISO for your best player, but it has to be a good quality one, that involve off-ball screens and outlet pass lanes if needed, to increase the chances of a bucket.

If we had to have 2 clutch losses like this, I'm actually glad they happened in a row like they did. It'll give Nurse lots to think about and grow from it.

[Maury]

It's raining.

Thought you lived in Van? It’s pretty nice outside.

[JimiCliff]

Its almost as if this team is going through hard ships with a new superstar and a new head coach.

What's off is this team has had no chance to gel. Every time someone comes back, another (or more) one goes down. We're a wounded soldier out there.

Yeah yeah yeah. These are all legitimate points. I'm sensing something beyond this. For eg, as I mentioned elsewhere: Nurse trying to draw up a play, and Lowry not letting him talk without interrupting. That was weird. Hopefully it was nothing. We'll see.

[Jangles]

Next game thread?

Yeah... Without these I actually don't know when the next game starts or on what channel.. Wow I'm lazy..

[Scraptor]

That's not good.

I wouldn't be surprised if he gets traded.

Masai isn't going to trade Lowry because he sulked through a play after being the team's leader for five years.

[The Claw Reborn]

We were flying high in the regular season for the past years and we crashed and got crushed in the post season.

We have fucking Kawhi Leonard, so not worried at all.

Im more worried about this coach, though he may surprised us when it matters most.

Lets obliterate the Bulls and dump on them all the frustrations the past 3 games

Go Raptors !

[KeonClark]

One of the best games he's played all year? what the hell were you watching? LMAO.

Lowry played like complere shit. Lowry HIMSELF admitted after the game that he played like shit. But the people who are trashing Lowry are idiots? Ok.

Youre one of those guys that looks at shots and points. I was looking at defense, guarding Morris, help defense, battling baynes for loose balls, the pass to Wright on the fast break, the drawing of fouls, the transition plays. You know...the Kyle Lowry stuff. It doesnt show up in the box score, and you have to put your phone down and stop complaining for a few minutes and watch him closely

[Beneperez]

Youre one of those guys that looks at shots and points. I was looking at defense, guarding Morris, help defense, battling baynes for loose balls, the pass to Wright on the fast break, the drawing of fouls, the transition plays. You know...the Kyle Lowry stuff. It doesnt show up in the box score, and you have to put your phone down and stop complaining for a few minutes and watch him closely

I'm with you on this one. He willed the team for big parts of the game in the aspects you mentioned. My issue with Kyle isn't a matter of leadership. It's how long can his body sustain doing all of this. Guy knows no second gear.

[A.I]

Youre one of those guys that looks at shots and points. I was looking at defense, guarding Morris, help defense, battling baynes for loose balls, the pass to Wright on the fast break, the drawing of fouls, the transition plays. You know...the Kyle Lowry stuff. It doesnt show up in the box score, and you have to put your phone down and stop complaining for a few minutes and watch him closely

Why do you think he says Lowry was trash in the Playoffs when he clearly wasn't last season? If you're a star and don't average high numbers apparently you're trash...

People still underrate Lowry's impact, its ridiculous.

[Jangles]

We need Kyle to do his thing but we also need him to get more than 14 points in 43 minutes as well.

[KeonClark]

I'm with you on this one. He willed the team for big parts of the game in the aspects you mentioned. My issue with Kyle isn't a matter of leadership. It's how long can his body sustain doing all of this. Guy knows no second gear.

He took a flying knee directly to side of the damn face and hopped up and made both fouls. If he would have layed there and flopped he could have got a flagrant

[KeonClark]

We need Kyle to do his thing but we also need him to get more than 14 points in 43 minutes as well.

Agree. We need better Kawhi in the clutch. We need guys to get healthy and not foul out. I'm sorry not sorry but with green in both and Ibaka in the first one we beat both Detroit and Boston. It's a game of inches. Raptors are still tied for first overall and are managing one of the lulls of the season. I'm nowhere near a panic button yet